Best Beginner-Friendly Agents In Valorant

It’s easy for newer Valorant players to feel intimidated when the likes of Iso threaten the meta with a moving impenetrable wall, a Vulnerable projectile, and even an Ultimate that forces a one-on-one duel. However, newcomers to the acclaimed FPS don’t necessarily need to dash into a fight with the new Duelist recklessly, especially if they start learning how to use the game’s more accessible Agents.

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By  Mia O’Connor

Learning how to use their abilities properly can help players rise through the ranks, eventually mastering key gameplay styles that will eventually aid them in using more specialized Agents such as controlled flashes with Skye, more aggressive bombing with Raze, and map mastery with Omen. Among Valorant’s easiest Agents to learn include the game’s resident firestarter, an acclaimed engineer, an infamous archer, and even a popular lurker.

Updated January 10, 2025, Mehrdad Khayyat: The more Valorant grows, the harder it becomes for new players to enter the game and enjoy it. The abundance of unique Agents in Valorant makes new players wonder what their character is capable of and what the opponents can do to counter them.

Let's make it straight in the beginning that every Agent in Valorant requires time and effort to master, however, some Agents have no barriers at the entry-level, while some others like Jett or Raze are quite difficult to start with, putting the player under pressure from the teammates.

10 Iso

Perfect For Those Who Invest In The Aim

Despite recent buffs to this Duelist, the aim-heavy kit of Iso makes his attack-heavy Valorant gameplay ideal for players who want to focus on gunplay instead of abilities. The infamous Double Tap (Signature) grants a shield that absorbs any one attack, and the shield can be refreshed if Iso shoots the energy orb that spawns from the enemy killed while in this state. Earning the moniker “Aimlabs,” this “shoot the random orb” requirement to fully take advantage of Double Tap will train Iso users to shoot accurately and while under distress.

The rest of Iso’s kit is tailored towards giving him and his allies an easier time entering the Site for frags. Thanks to Undercut (Basic 2), Iso can grant Vulnerable to everyone hit by his orbs, making its 4-second window a vital timeframe for fast kills. Meanwhile, his Contingency (Basic 1) is an indestructible wall with a small angle that he and his allies can hug for surprise attacks, or can be used to bait enemies. Lastly, Kill Contract (Ultimate) pits Iso and a target in a duel to the death. This Ultimate should be used carefully, however, as it can be dodged by jumping or releasing a Yoru clone. Likewise, enemies can simply sneak up to Iso’s location to kill him as soon as he returns - although allies can do this to the enemy’s location as well.

9 Viper

Refillable Abilities Demand Proper Timing, Positioning

Poisoner Viper might be everyone's next-door crush in Valorant, but her kit is one of the trickiest to use in the game. As a Sentinel, Viper is a potent defender, and can even execute interesting strategies if her kit is utilized properly. She's known for her Toxic Screen (Signature), a wall-penetrating poison wall that damages enemies upon passing, making it a nifty cover for sites and may even be used as a fake setup to trap lurkers. Meanwhile, her Poison Cloud (Basic 2) is a persistent molly that can provide effective cover for retakes, isolate the Spike, or damage aggressors. Lastly, Snake Bite (Basic 1) is a decent AOE that punishes opponents for trying to get to her territory.

Viper's Pit (Ultimate) is considered one of the game's best Ultimates for its defensive capability, as not only does it mask the Spike in a cloud that Nearsights enemies, but all of them are Decayed while inside - making them easy pickings as long as Viper manages to spot them first. While Viper's reusable abilities allow her to reuse defensible angles, she suffers the same fate as Killjoy as being rather useless if her skills don't proc assists throughout the round. Moreover, whereas Killjoy has re-deployable abilities, Viper's are permanently placed throughout the round.

8 Cypher

The Trap Master

Valorant's resident trapper Cypher is the cause of a lot of the game's woes - especially for players who know how to use his traps effectively. However, regardless of how sleek the Agent feels after killing enemies who cross his traps, mastering their placement is more elaborate than it looks. Key to his setups are Trapwires (Basic 1) that annoyingly Tether, Reveal, and Concuss opponents that step on them. While it's true that enemies can just avoid Cypher's favored sites upon sensing the Trapwires, they are extremely effective deterrents for a weaker Site to force enemies to attack a better-defended location. Meanwhile, Cyber Cage (Basic 2) creates a digital wall that can act as smoke, giving Cypher nifty opportunities to initiate one-way walls to attack unsuspecting Trapwire victims. Moreover, Spycam (Signature) allows him to spot enemies and tag them for his allies.

To add salt to the wounds of his enemies, Cypher can trigger Neural Theft (Ultimate) to spot enemy locations in the map for his allies to see - allowing them to chase down enemies who try to retake or even launch a surprise attack. Despite his traps being re-deployable, Cypher's biggest disadvantage lies in constantly thinking of lineups so enemies can't spot where his traps are located. Not only that, his Spycam won't have much utility if enemies spot where it is quickly. Enemies who don't go to Cypher's site can render most of his traps useless unless players can quickly set up a Plan B for the retake.

7 Omen

The Ultimate Trick Smoker

Befitting his rather edgy appearance as a Valorant Agent, Omen is also the resident representative of Controllers in the game. Of the FPS title’s combat roles, Omen secures control over the battlefield by setting smokes in any part of the map, giving his team breathing room to prepare for insertion. Key parts of his kit are his Dark Cover (Signature), which opens a 3D version of the map and allows him to set up large globules of smoke. In the hands of a trained player, Omen can set these smokes to float just a few feet off the ground, giving him full view of the feet of opponents trying to sneak inside.

The rest of his kit incentivizes ratty plays from users who become more familiar with the map. His Paranoia (Basic 2) lets him release a smoke wave that blinds anyone he hits, while Shrouded Step lets him teleport to a specific location he can see - both of which allow him to outmaneuver foes even in sketchy situations. Lastly, his From The Shadows (Ultimate) can teleport him anywhere on the map, conveniently letting him steal the Spike or even attack from the rear of opponents.

6 Clove

Mini-Omen And Reyna-Lite For Hybrid Playstyles

Newcomer Clove is praised for making Controller plays more fun with their Valorant mechanics, practically making them a more aggressive Omen or a tactical Reyna. Players who want to train their smoke plays can use Ruse (Signature) to release up to two smoke clouds via a Brimstone-style tactical map. Clove can even extend their utility after death, as Ruse allows them to release smoke clouds within their body’s vicinity - potentially aiding in post-Plant retakes and defense.

In combat, Clove can rely on Meddle (Basic 2) to Decay enemies with a bursting orb, paving the way for faster kills. This works perfectly with their Pick-Me-Up (Basic 1), gives them a 100 HP Overheal and a much-needed speed boost for faster next kills. Upon death, Not Dead Yet (Ultimate) lets them get a temporary 12-second revive that becomes permanent if they assist or kill someone. The aggro-oriented kit of Clove can make them a perfect training ground for more serious smoke plays or tactical gunfights, allowing newcomers to get used to both Controllers and Duelists at once.

5 Harbor

Dominate Wall Control With An Assortment Of Waves

Walling remains one of the most essential skills of a Valorant Agent and is something that Harbor can teach with his wave-heavy kit. At its core, walls can block enemy sight from entries (and fake entries), allowing Harbor and his teammates to secure sites for entry and defense in a myriad of ways. Key to his arsenal is his High Tide (Signature), perhaps the most flexible wall in the game for its ability to both curve and adjust based on elevation. With the right aim, Harbor can have High Tide block either “hell” or a “heaven” in a location with vertical spaces.

Harbor can also rely on a “smaller” wall via Cascade (Basic 1) which moves in front of him and can be stopped at will, perfect for pushes and fake pushes. He can throw an orb with Cove (Basic 2) that surrounds an area in a temporarily bullet-proof dome, perfect for protecting planting and defusing allies, as well as becoming a pseudo-smoke. Lastly, his Reckoning (Ultimate) envelops an area with water that triggers a concussion in areas enemies are standing on, making it unadvisable for them to remain in the area.

4 Gekko

Master Molly Throws With Pokemon-Like Friends

Thanks to Gekko, Valorant gameplay bridges the gap between FPS and Pokemon games with his “buddies.” Gekko’s creatures become Globules (Passive) after usage, with the Agent capable of reclaiming them and using them another time after a short cooldown. The “rechargeable” nature of most of Gekko’s kit can be explained by their straightforward abilities, such as floating Dizzy (Signature) that temporarily Blinds enemies that look at it with plasma blasts or Mosh Pit (Basic 1) that releases a toxic surface that deals damage over time before exploding.

Where Gekko shines as an Initiator is Wingman (Basic 2), who can alternate between Concussing the first enemy he sees and planting or defusing the Spike. Gekko’s area control is improved even further with Thrash (Ultimate), which releases a beast he controls that can stun all players (ally or enemy) in an area. Gekko’s nature as an Initiator-Sentinel hybrid makes him a worthwhile Agent to learn for newcomers who want to explore Agents that accommodate multiple roles.

3 Tejo

Catch Campers Off-Guard And Take Care Of Spike

Tejo is the latest Agent to join Valorant and he has easy-to-use abilities. Both the Signature and the Ultimate abilities of Tejo use a targeting system on the map, which makes them quite easy to benefit from for every player that knows the map, the camping points, and the default plant spots.

On the other hand, Special Delivery (Basic 2) might need a little bit of practice for newcomers, as it is important to have perfect timing for throwing the grenade and peeking concussed enemies. Stealth Drone (Basic 1) also needs to be used when Tejo is in a safe spot, as the player will not have access to their weapons or movement while driving the drone.

2 Deadlock

Train Area Denial With Powerful Wall, Debuffing Traps

Despite the current low pick rate of Agent Deadlock among pro players, the Sentinel’s kit balances Sage’s area denial and Killjoy’s gadget utility. A key aspect of Deadlock’s skillset is her Barrier Mesh (Signature), which creates a heavily fortified cross-shaped barrier that can fit most corners and let bullets (but not people) pass through.

Working in tandem with this wall is her suite of detection skills, with Sonic Sensor (Basic 2) activating a concussive AOE when enemies near it make sounds, while GravNet (Basic 1) detonates into an AOE that forces enemies to crouch-walk slowly. Lastly, her Annihilation (Ultimate) wraps an opponent it catches, insta-killing them should they reach the Ult’s origin point unless enemies destroy the cocoon.

1 Brimstone

Master Map Control With Smokes And Familiar FPS Tools

Fans of tool-heavy Call of Duty games get the closest approximation to a special forces soldier with Brimstone, leader of the Valorant Protocol. As the first Controller players have access to, Brimstone’s kit trains players in some of the most fundamental aspects of Valorant gameplay: angling mollies, smoke-based map control, and timing ally buffs. Brimstone being a Controller in particular emphasizes team guidance through Sky Smoke (Signature), arguably the most accessible mini-map smoking mechanic among members of the Role.

Meanwhile, Brimstone can also aid pre-entry with Stim Beacon (Basic 2) that boosts teammates’ speed (movement, equip, reload, recovery) and fire rate, which can prove crucial in encounters. The Controller can also deal AOE in tight spots with his ricocheting Incendiary (Basic 1), or assume full control over an area with a large-scale Orbital Strike (Ultimate) that guarantees death to enemies who stay in its radius.

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Valorant

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Released

June 2, 2020

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Developer(s)

Riot Games

Platform(s)

PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S

Genre(s)

Shooter

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